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Title 34, NavyRelease 119-110

§20502 Minimum Standards for Issuance and Dissemination of Alerts Through Amber Alert Communications Network

Title 34 › Subtitle II — Protection of Children and Other Persons › CHAPTER 205 — AMBER ALERT › § 20502

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The AMBER Alert Coordinator at the Department of Justice must create basic rules for when AMBER Alerts are sent and how far they are shared. The rules must be voluntary. As much as possible, after consulting state, territorial, tribal, and local law enforcement, the rules should make sure any special needs of an abducted child (like medical needs) are sent to the right law enforcement, public health, and other officials, and that alerts are sent only to the areas most likely to help find the child. The Coordinator must not disrupt current voluntary work between local broadcasters and law enforcement and must work with the Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security, the FCC, broadcasters, and law enforcement when making and using the rules.

Full Legal Text

Title 34, §20502

Navy, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment of minimum standards
Subject to subsection (b), the AMBER Alert Coordinator of the Department of Justice shall establish minimum standards for— (1)
(2)the extent of the dissemination of alerts issued through the network.
(b)Limitations
(1)The minimum standards established under subsection (a) shall be adoptable on a voluntary basis only.
(2)The minimum standards shall, to the maximum extent practicable (as determined by the Coordinator in consultation with State, territorial, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies), provide that appropriate information relating to the special needs of an abducted child (including health care needs) are disseminated to the appropriate law enforcement, public health, and other public officials.
(3)The minimum standards shall, to the maximum extent practicable (as determined by the Coordinator in consultation with State, territorial, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies), provide that the dissemination of an alert through the AMBER Alert communications network be limited to the geographic areas most likely to facilitate the recovery of the abducted child concerned.
(4)In carrying out activities under subsection (a), the Coordinator may not interfere with the current system of voluntary coordination between local broadcasters and State, territorial, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies for purposes of the AMBER Alert communications network.
(c)Cooperation
(1)The Coordinator shall cooperate with the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Federal Communications Commission in carrying out activities under this section.
(2)The Coordinator shall also cooperate with local broadcasters and State, territorial, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies in establishing minimum standards under this section.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 5791a of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (b)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 116–283, § 10001(a)(2)(A), inserted “, territorial, tribal,” after “State”. Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, § 10001(a)(2)(B)(i), inserted “, the Secretary of Homeland Security,” after “Secretary of Transportation”. Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 116–283, § 10001(a)(2)(B)(ii), inserted “, territorial, tribal,” after “State”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

34 U.S.C. § 20502

Title 34, Navy

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110